About Us
About the Akron Symphony Orchestra
The Akron Symphony enriches the lives of audiences, musicians, and our community through exceptional symphonic music, and meaningful, collaborative and educational programming that welcomes, connects, and engages a broad and diverse regional community. Learn more about us below.
Administrative Staff
Brenda L. Justice
Administrative Assistant & Coordinator of Choral Programs
Board of Trustees
Executive Officers
President Tom Crookes, Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease
Vice President Alex Quay Attorney, Buckingham
Secretary Theresa Petit-Lerner Accountant, National Machine Company
Treasurer Andrew Ziegler, VP, Commercial Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank
Artistic Advisory Chair Tom Crookes, Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease
Development Chair Lia Jones, Senior Vice President and Senior Fiduciary Strategist, Keybank
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Chair Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D. Career Academy Liaison & Coordinator of Special Projects, Akron Children’s Hospital
Education Chair Bonnie Panlasigui, President, Summa Health, Akron & Barberton
Finance Chair Andrew Ziegler, VP, Commercial Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank
Marketing Chair Steve Sedlock, Marketing & Communications, Huntington Bank
Friends of the Akron Symphony Co-Chairs Pat Nilsestuen and Karen Schreckengost
Strategic Planning Task Force Chair Tom Crookes, Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease
Orchestra Committee Chair Eri Snowden-Rodriguez
Music Director Christopher Wilkins
Executive Director Paul Jarrett
Trustees
Roula Bailey Manager of Language and Special Access Services, Akron Children’s Hospital
Kittie B. Clarke Retired
Tom Crookes Attorney, Vorys, Sater, Seymour & Pease
Bethany M. Gonzalez,CRPC Private Wealth Advisor, Adams, Gut, & Associates
Heather Hahn Small Business Owner/Consultant
Kevin Heraghty CPA, SeibertKeck
Thomas Hite Producer, SeibertKeck
Thomas A. Jefferson, Ph.D. Career Academy Liaison & Coordinator of Special Projects, Akron Children’s Hospital
Lia Evans Jones Senior Vice President and Senior Fiduciary Strategist, Keybank
Andrew Leask Director, Marketing, United Way of Summit & Medina
Adam Lintz Insurance Brokerage Service Director, Schauer Group
Jill Bacon Madden Owner, Jilly’s Music Room
Pat Nilsestuen Retired, commercial printing & graphic arts
Bonnie Panlasigui President, Summa Health, Akron & Barberton
Theresa Petit-Lerner Accountant, National Machine Company
Alex Quay Attorney, Buckingham
Julianne Robbins CEO, Earthquaker Devices
George Rosin Attorney, Law Office of George H. Rosin, LLC
Elizabeth Saraceno, Senior Development Director, Leadership Akron
Karen Schreckengost Retired
Steve Sedlock Marketing & Communications, Huntington Bank
Mike Sferro, Towpath Credit Union
Jeana Singleton Brennan, Manna and Diamond, LLC
Eda Valentin Director of PLM, Shearer’s Foods
Julie Weagraff Director of Fund Development, Girl Scouts of NE Ohio
Geraldine Wojno Kiefer, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus of Art, Shenandoah University
Andrew Ziegler VP, Commercial Relationship Manager, Fifth Third Bank
Trustee Emeriti
Norman P. Auburn, Ph.D. *
Robert S. Crawford *
J. Ralph Gillman *
Sue Jeppesen Gillman
Mabel Lamborn Graham *
Jane Kaufman *
Edward J. Metzger
Bruce F. Rothmann, M.D. *
Trustee of Note
Olive Cairns *
William & Margaret Denton *
Dorothy Gaylord *
Ida Grotz *
Joseph S. Lichty, M.D. *
Gerald McFadden*
Lola M. Rothmann*
Dorothy Seeger *
Irene Shadley *
Charles K. Sorkin *
Mary Louise Stewart *
Helen M. Vawter*
GAMA Foundation Board of Trustees
Tom Clark, President Wells Fargo
Tracy Dowe City President, Fifth Third Bank
Bruce Fahey Attorney, Retired Shareholder Reminger
Richard Harris Brouse McDowell
Mike Pasternak Retired, Ernst & Young
Charlie Peter Retired, Optometrist
Todd Rosenberg Retired, FedEx
David Scarponi President, Scarponi Textiles & Akron Polychem
Donna Valentine Retired, FirstEnergy Foundation
Board Alumni Council
Dr. Linda B. Angotti
Mark S. Auburn
Sandy Becker-Neidert
Dr. Todd Beyer
Susan Burnoski, CPA
Lisa Chapman-Smith
Thomas J. Clark, CFP
Robert L. Culp Jr.
R. Fred Damerow
Richard Dee
Tracy Dowe
William D. Dowling
Bruce Fahey
Jerilynn Ferguson
Sandra Fishel
Robert Frutchey
Dr. William K. Guegold
DuWayne Hansen
Richard H. Harris
Dr. Sandra Hazra, M.D.
Robert L. Hunt Sr.
Jerry Irby
Mary Ann Jackson
Melissa Johnson
Jessica Korkosz Korzhiletskiy
Quinnie Lane
Kathleen Leigh Lewarchick
Dave Leiberth
Jan E. Litz, CMA
Jason Lorenzon
Diana D. Maurer
William N. Melver
Melodie Morgon-Minott
Charles Myricks, Jr.
Dave Nelson
Jo Ann Oelschlager
Bryon Palitto
Michael J. Pasternak
Charles A. Peter, M.D.
Lucia M. Pileggi
Guy Pipitone
Renée Pipitone
Ernest E. Pouttu
Terri L. Nass Reeder
Kurt Reed
Charles J. Reitz III
Todd J. Roenburg
George H. Rosin
Dr. Walter Ruf
David Scarponi
Sally Schneider
David M. Sinar
André Thornton Jr.
Dr. Ann Usher
Donna Valentine
Theresse Wade
Donna Zabel
James E. Zwisler
+ chorus co-representative
++ guild representative
+++orchestra representative
*deceased